Sick of Sarah scored their big break early on when two of their songs, "Common Mistake" and "Mr. Incredible", were featured on the popular, lesbian-inclusive American teen drama South of Nowhere from 2005 to 2008, putting them squarely on the map within the lesbian scene. South of Nowhere followed the life of a lesbian teenager attending high school in LA and became so popular among US teens that it was nominated alongside Ugly Betty, another queer-inclusive hit, for a Teen Choice Award.

Jessie also notes that their label, Adamant Records, played a big part in the success of the band. Unlike many labels that pressure artists into hiding their sexuality for commercial reasons, Adamant Records supported their queerness, telling them to "be as gay as you want to be, be yourself." Not only did they luck out in finding a gay-friendly label, but their open personalities and honest, relatable lyrics have also played a tremendous role in getting them noticed.

In fact, Sick of Sarah has plenty of connections within the queer music scene. Among other things, they've toured with the San Francisco-based electro-pop-rock trio Von Iva. Von Iva consists of Jillian Iva on lead vocals and out lesbians Bex (Rebecca Kupersmith) on keyboard and Lay Lay (Kelly Harris) on drums. Their song "Same Sad Song" had been featured on Season 3, episode three of The L Word, catching the broad attention with their aggressive beats and hard-hitting vocals as well as their sexy, chic style.

In 2008, Sick of Sarah released their self-titled debut album. Their sound is heavily influenced by '90s girl rock, reminiscent of No Doubt's early years. Abisha's sweet vocals paired with a backup chorus provided by Jessie, Katie and Jamie create a wonderful harmony.

SIck of Sarah's debut album was just recently released here in Japan as well. While consistently standing proud of their sexuality, the band has earned a place for themselves basking in the rock spotlight after write-ups published in the Japanese fashion magazines Elle and FIGARO Japon. The full-on girl power vibe of their catchy music and queer pop edge could bring in the dawn of a new kind of girl rock--one that transcends sexuality. Don't miss out on listening to this up-and-coming band!

Translated by J